Marching to the Cross!

March 2013

Forward March! 2 Tim 2:3-4; Luke 9:22-27

Deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow me!

Luke 9:22-2722 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Luke 9:22-27

24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (soul)

Luke 9:22-27

26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Cross is Better!The theology of Grace is Great but the Cross is Better!Yeshua loved everyone but his Death on the Cross is Better!Yeshua modeled faithfulness and obedience but his bloodshed at the cross is better!

The Cross is Better!

The Whole of Scripture is about reconciling a “Fallen Man” to a “Holy God”The cross is the “Arm of God” reaching down to man!Death & Resurrection is the essence of our Christian Faith!

Dynamic not static!

Moving!

Growing!

Soaring to higher

dimensions in God!

Battleground vs. Playground

“The World is a battleground not a playground” - Chip Ingram

Constant “spiritual warfare” of “good” against “evil”Christians are soldiers in the “Army of God”

Soldier of Christ Jesus3 Take [with me] your share of

the hardships and suffering [which you are called to

endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.

4 No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one

who enlisted him. 2 Timothy 2:3-5 (AMP)

Good Soldier of Christ Jesus3 Join with me in

suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please

his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2:3-4

Good Soldiers are:

Disciplined!

Dedicated!

Determined!

Deliberate!

Dynamic!

Soldiers don’t walk, we March!

We march to the cross each spring:

To remember To strengthen our resolve as Christian SoldiersTo Honor Christ!

We March!Steadily and rhythmically forward!Directly and purposefullyArranged in an orderly fashion

Marching Battle Songs

Deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow me!

Onward, Christian Soldiers

marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.

Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;forward into battle see his banners go!

Refrain: Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of

Jesus going on before

We Are Soldiers We’re In The Army!We Are Soldiers We’re In

The ArmyWe have to fight although

we have to cryWe have to hold up the

bloodstain bannerWe have to hold it up

until we die!

Battle Hymn of the RepublicMine eyes have seen the glory of the

coming of the Lord:He is trampling out the vintage where the

grapes of wrath are stored;He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His

terrible swift sword:His truth is marching on.Glory, glory, hallelujah!Glory, glory, hallelujah!Glory, glory, hallelujah!

His truth is marching on.

The cross is not cheap but the rewards are great

The blood stained cross is the crown jewel in the kingdom

We can't be true Christians by overlooking the cross

Invitation to Discipleship

I am always reaching out to you! Bidding you to come to me!

Have you enlisted in my Army?Are you Marching with me?

Next Week’s SermonTitle: “Bearing the Cross”Text: Mark 15:16-24

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